3 comments about The Piri Reis Map of 1513.

1. If you are interested in maps and the history of the discovery of the americas this book can be recommended. It is sometimes difficult to read. The pages with the maps are not always in the same place where the maps are discussed, which is quite inconvienent. I learnt a lot about the early maps of america and the authors presented their ideas convincingly. The authors should have spent less pages on debunking obvouisly outlandish ideas. All in all I enjoyed the book and the detailed maps in it.



2. When I bought this book I wanted to find out what the truth is as far as the Antarctic area on the Piri Reis map is concerned. The fact this book was written by a cartographer could shed some light on the issue. Reading the book I became very disappointed by it. The writer knows his maps, that is for sure. He describes the map and the errors found in it in great deal and you can learn a lot of that. But the writer also seems biased on the Antarctic subject. His pictures seem to prove the opposite be he still claims the Antarctic region on the Piri Reis map only coincidentally resembles the real thing.



3. I have bought this book as a present for a close friend who's very keen on
   the subject and I have translated it into Italian.
   I must admit I did not know anything about Piri Reis until he spoke to me about the subject and I did not know anything about cartography too. However, I have soon got involved and I appreciated the translations of the inscriptions on the map and the description of Colombo's journeys and personality, but also the objectiveness of the author.
   The book is written quite fluently although quite ripetitive at times and it is obviously very technical.As the general trend is to stop in front of appearence, being an easier way to live ,this book represents a good chance to go deeper into a part of our history and definitely learn something interesting.
   There is no other similar and recent evidence available on the market about this subject, therefore I would recommend it to amateurs and beginners like me.
   
   

5 comments about Atlas Of The Civil War, Month By Month: Major Battles And Troop Movements.

1. This book has a good collection of maps and does a fair job of tracking troop movements but has a definite biased slant and innaccurately stresses slavery as the major cause of the war, even though this didn't become a real issue until 1862, when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation (which is a masterpiece of doublespeak that actually freed NO ONE AT ALL, since Lincoln had no authority over the Confederacy, and specifically excluded northern states). There is an emphasis on negative Southern acts, such as Longstreet's foraging mission in North Carolina, while northern atrocities are glossed over. An impressive piece of historical bias and revisionist history, and only the maps are of interest. Most of those are available for free from the National Archives, just to name one source, or other better-written works, so don't waste your money.



2. Mark Swanson states that he is a historian, which is an insult to all the individuals that actually delve into history in its entirety without slanting facts to their prejudices. Swanson's "Introduction - Origins of the Civil War" is an account of slavery in the United States and not one iota more! An uninformed person would believe that slavery was the only cause of the WBTS. Save your money and buy one of the many other books that will provide this information without a Marxist point of view.



3. Although the maps and troops movements are adequate, unfortunately the author falls into the trap of putting out a sanitized (and grossly inaccurate) account of the War Between the States. His "Origins of the War" dealt more with propaganda than with any factual information. The book would have been far more interesting had he actually researched the events taking place prior to the war (ie: the tariff battles and sectional conflicts relating to how the federal budget money was being spent disproportionately), this book would have been a much better work. As it stands, he should have either not delved into the causes (and got it wrong, as he did), or he should have done more research in that area prior to actually writing the book. Disappointing.



4. Mark Swanson has given us a very useful overview of the Civil War, emphasis on useful. This book is brief, giving maps of each month of the war with descriptive text on the facing page. Thus teachers, professors, travelers, and anyone seeking quick information will profit. Even veteran Civil War buffs will find information they did not know about. As anyone familiar with the war knows, there are many huge volumes covering virtually every aspect of the war, so this book is welcome since there is nothing else like it. Certainly more detail could have been given such as on the causes of the war. Yet Swanson is right in discussing slavery as the major cause, leaving other issues to other books. I would note that without slavery there would have been no war; states do not secede and people do not go to war over things like tariffs. Thus, this is not the volume to look to for lengthy discussion. Its purpose is to help one get an informative overview of the war as it unfolded, and to help one do so quickly. It succeeds admirably.



5. The University of Georgia Press Atlas of the Civil War, Month by Month, written by Mark Swanson is a fine book. It is quite unlike the other Civil War atlases out there, which it does not replace, in that it has no battle maps of Gettysburg, etc. with many units or hills marked on them. So if you want to see how the Second Battle of Bull Run or the clash at Mortons Ford unfolded this is not the atlas for you.
   
   What it does do well, which the other atlases never try, is to give you the broad picture of how the entire war was being simultaneously played out across the southeastern third of the country in any given month from 1861 to 1865. Basically the same map of the Confederacy and the border regions appears on the right side with the relevant locations identified. A text on the left side describes the various actions and developments marked on the map on a state-by-state basis.
   
   The text is relatively concise but clear and helpful. The author did not attempt to uncover new ground, but he followed the established line of major historians. For example, in his introduction describing the origins of the Civil War Swanson deftly summarizes the standard interpretation of all contemporary leading historians that slavery was the principal issue. This is not an all-purpose atlas but an atlas for the serious student of the Civil War. It deserves to be rated as five stars.

No comments about Southeast Lighthouses Map & Guide.

2 comments about Maps to Anywhere.

1. I read this book so long ago but just had to be the first to post a review...

   This is what essays are all about. It's a fun, informative, and smartly written jaunt through a culture and individual life.

   Wonderful!




2. This book contains many essays. Some are one to two page long observations, others are more personal. The more personal ones are the heart of this book. The essays about his relationship with his father are very good. The longest entry is entitled "The House of the Future". It is roughly thirty pages long and it is beautiful. It is worth buying this book just to read this one essay, which is about the death of his older brother. I could not put the book down during this essay. The language and images are extremely vivid, and the story is enveloping. I didn't really care for some of the shorter pieces, but "The House of the Future" is one of the best pieces I have read in a long time.

No comments about ADC The Map People Greater Atlanta, Georgia Street Atlas.

1 comments about Republic of Georgia Map by ITMB.

1. I took this map on my trip to Georgia and found it most useful; the best part is the list of interesting attractions for every section of the map! You can't find this there, so get it before you go.

1 comments about Rand McNally Atlanta Metro Easy Finder (EasyFinder).

1. Quality laminated city maps have not been as easy for me to find as in the past. Most seem to show only the center of a given city for tourists, which is not what I'm ever interested in even when a tourist. For years I used the Gousha Fastmaps in other cities, which I quite liked, but these maps unfortunately are not made anymore it seems. I've used the Rand McNally EasyFinder maps and Streetwise maps but have never like either of them as they do not include enough of any city in detail (very frustrating using them). So when I moved near Atlanta a year ago, I wanted to find a decent map that would last (laminated) and was small enough to keep in the car glovebox and would open quickly and conveniently. After much deliberation (which seems to happen more now with anything I buy--the internet and easy access to information have enabled and furthered, for better or worse, my deliberations), I purchased this map and was actually surprised that it shows in a compact format most of the city in street-name detail. And that's just what I wanted for Atlanta. Coupled with the Not for Tourists Guide to Atlanta (to plug another worthwhile aid), I've been navigating this city with ease.

5 comments about Azerbaijan, 3rd: With Excursions to Georgia (Trailblazer).

1. If you're going to Azerbaijan you must have this book - in fact, several companies issue this book to their international staff here. It is extremely comprehensive and thorough and very accurate (though there have been some changes). As someone that has lived in Azerbaijan for the past year and a half, I continue to be impressed with this book and have relied on it many times. It is an essential guide to exploring Azerbaijan - a country that has a lot more to offer than most would expect. Buy this (and avoid the Lonely Planet one - it does a really bad job for Azerbaijan!).



2. This book can be of a great use for the travellers, expatriots moving to Azerbaijan or for those studying different regions/cultures. I enjoyed reading it!



3. Great book! Clearly written by someone who loves this country. My wife is a native of Baku learnt and laughed about her native country. Culturally savy and sensitive.



4. As other reviewers have noted, the hallmark of this book is that we frequently met Azeri travellers either armed with it or knowledgable about it. Some mentioned, and we agreed, an update is needed regards restaurants and hotels in Baku which come and go with disturbing frequency. But, really, the humour of the writing, and the lovely drawings, make this a special treat. We did encounter a writer updating the notorious Lonely Planet Guide, in Polish only though. Elliott gives the impression of having walked everywhere he describes. It is worth warning that, though English is on the increase in Baku, and regional centres especially with young people, Turkish in the south and Russian in the north are the more widespread second languages. And, taxi drivers, given the just mentioned language issues, are a very great challenge especially in Baku. Really they are the only negative I have about the place. Beyond Quba and heading into the high country is stupendous, even if you are not a hiker.Xinaliq is an amazing village, and there is now a shop, the road to it is bitumenized, and as I write a new consolidated school should be open for business. The teachers there can help with English. I also rate Zaqatala higher than the author. Coming across from Georgia's poverty-stricken villages, this immaculate town was astonishingly ordered and cared for. But in this regard, it was to prove exceptional in Azerbaijan. Lahic was lovely, as was Ilisu; Shaki less so, though we wished we'd booked ahead for a bed in the great caravanserai. Elliot's book seems at times like a promotional exercise for the tourist board, if such a thing exists in the country, and has a leaning towards a perceived audience, the considerable expat community in Baku for reasons to do with its oil industry. Here, hundreds of BMWs and Mercedes flourish with almost disgusting indifference to the real poverty on the footpaths, the suburbs and those regional towns and villages.



5. This book was very helpful while I was in Azerbaijan but some things desperately need to be updated. I only spent a couple weekends in Baku but the streets are changing all the time. We were unable to find three of the Chinese food restaurants and the one we finally did eat at wasn't listed. The snippets on the towns in the outlying regions could definitely be added to as well. All in all it still is the best guide on the market.

5 comments about The Best Little Map of Savannah, GA..

1. The Best Little Map of Savannah is a must for any trip to Savannah. The map is beautifully illustrated - - places of interest are clearly displayed. Restaurants,hotels and squares in Savannah are easy to locate on this map. The map folds and is easy to carry.



2. This was perfect for walking around the Historic district. We could tell how far different restaurants and other attractions were from our hotel easily. Made it easier to walk around without too much extra wandering, which was important to us as we had 2 young children in tow! We are moving to Savannah soon and will keep this available for our guests!
   
   For driving to various parts of the city I'd recommend using Mapquest or a "real" map, but all in all, we really thought this was so useful. And pretty to boot!



3. The information included in this map can be easily accessed with any of the free maps available throughout the city. These maps include popular landmarks and squares.
   The city is conveniently laid out in a straight north/south and east/west grid, so it's hard to get lost. To find a specific business it't easy to explore (or see the yellow pages).
   At one third to one half the price, i might recommend it, but with the grade school graphics and the above shortcomings i cannot.



4. This a a great map. I knew I would like this one since I also bought the map for Charleston and it was very helpful as we walked through Charleston two years ago. It details restaurants, historical buildings, hotels, so it is easy to get around. Next week we go to Savannah, the hotel we are staying in is on the map, also the places we are planning to tour. If you are going to Savannah, this is a must.



5. Could not do with out this map.This map is invaluable when visiting the Historic District. I have to order another one since we used this one so much.

5 comments about Georgia Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. Very useful and about as accurate as you can get in a print edition, but a recent printing is missing some pages and has doubles of others. Check your copy, especially around pages 16-24.



2. I have bought 8 DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer atlases and think they are all superb, the best on the market. I use the co-ordinates to locate pin-point spots on the maps!



3. The Gazeteers are unique and very informative if you understand and can read Topographic maps. This is not the best choice for a road map but might just be the best compromise for any outdoor enthusiast looking for very good details in an easy to read and transport atlas. Great for planning backwoods adventures or finding old road alignments in many instances.



4. This State Map is the best I can find. I have several of these, and use them frequently to choose routes that I want to travel. The Best!



5. ALL DeLORME Atlases & Gazetteers are:
   ULTIMATE (printed) EARTH GUIDES
   
   The DeLORME is a superb visual representation of terrain and every feature of the landscape with a listing of Trails, Fresh Water & Salt Water Fishing Sites; Hunting Areas; Recreation Areas; Historic Sites; Unique Natural Features; Campground and Primitive Sites; Attractions, State Parks, Federal Lands, State & County Lines (borders), power lines (great for traversing areas or following out of wilderness if temporarily lost), private airports as well as large airports, and much more.
   
   This is not a `city map' with every street named and is more for the vacationer or outdoor enthusiast. Every street is shown, with main streets named. This is more for planning a vacation, canoe or kayak trip, hiking, off-roading on Jeep trails (shown), finding boat ramps, trail heads and so on.
   
   GPS (WGS84 datum) tick marks and grid lines are on each page. The terrain is masterfully represented by detailed color-coded shading with elevation lines clearly showing flat areas as well as rises in terrain allowing one to picture the terrain before seeing it.
   
   The pages show boat ramps, lakes, ponds, creeks, streams, water falls, springs, swamps, forests mountains, trails, old abandoned railroad grades (great for hiking), military bases, Indian Reservations, bridges, fire towers, and back country details galore.
   
   SIZE MATTERS: Pages are 11" x 15"; representing approx. 30 miles. X 40 mi. The back outer-cover shows the whole state. Great for quickly estimating mileage & travel time by looking at the page-grids. Forty minutes North-South, 30 minutes E-W in rural areas and more for populated areas or steep mountainous roads.
   
   In summary: A lot of bang for your buck!